Stand up for Kaepernick’s kneel-down

Colin Kaepernick is a quarterback for the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers. On Aug. 26, he began his journey into controversy by refusing to stand during the U.S national anthem before a game.

His actions received an immediate response from the general public. Some claimed he even disrespected our nation.

“I don’t think it’s right,” sophomore Corey Little, a JV football player, said. “If anything, he should do something else instead of kneeling down during the national anthem,which represents our nation as whole, and I found that disrespectful.”

Other NFL players supported his actions and even followed his example by protesting themselves. Jeremy Lane, a Seattle Seahawk, also engaged in this protest and said that he would continue to do so until justice was served.

Were Kaepernick’s actions right? YES!

What justice is Lane talking about? It is the justice that the black community has been longing for. The recent killings of black people, especially black men, has made the community uneasy.

“As a black man in America, I feel that what Colin is doing is for a good cause and has a supportive and positive message behind it,” junior Tedrick Wilson, a JROTC company commander, said. “I also think people don’t understand what the real issue is, and (they are) also solely focusing on his position instead of the fact that he’s using his platform to bring awareness to certain issues.”

Oversensitivity to bringing up racial issues is also one of the main reasons he is receiving so much backlash.

Kaepernick didn’t hesitate to protest about the wrongdoings inflicted upon black people. Some Americans, in the land of so-called freedom, have been pushing us to censor our thoughts so that we don’t hurt the country’s feelings.

He has the right to protest, and not standing for the national anthem is not illegal.

Among all of the chaos, the NFL made an official statement that “players were encouraged but not required to stand during the national anthem.”

“Legally we can’t punish them, nor would I punish them for that,” Mr. Nagy, varsity football coach, said. “They have a right to protest.”

Mr. Nagy recalled the protest of two sprinters at the 1968 Olympics, who raised gloved fists on the medal stand as the national anthem played to protest racism.

“I do prefer the power fist instead (of kneeling during the anthem), but I’m not angry at (Kaepernick) and I won’t walk around calling him unpatriotic,” Mr. Nagy said.

We seem to forget that patriotism is the love for one’s country or nation. Kaepernick was only using his voice for the benefit of his people, and if you don’t agree with that, then try walking around every day of your life fearing that you might not make it home.